Setting up a District/School to Support Inclusive Practices Presented by Kathy Kilgore

P EOPLE F IRST L ANGUAGE Kathie Snow. (n.d.) A few words about People First Language. Disability is Natural. Retrieved August 1, 2012 from sh09.pdf “People First Language puts the person before the disability and describes what a person has, not who a person is.”

Inclusion.... “ The understanding that schooling occurs in a unified system in which: a) Diversity is supported, expected, and valued; b) High standards can be reached by all; and c) Life goals become a reality through collaboration. Marilyn Friend (2005)

For inclusive practices to be effective, schools... Must have a leader who leads by example Must have a leader that motivates and empowers staff to be the best Must embrace the belief that “all students can learn” Must practice ‘teachers without borders’ support systems

Districts/schools that are the most effective in implementing inclusive practices are those that Celebrate the differences in learners Think ‘outside the box’ Routinely provide individual accommodations Routinely utilize differentiated instructional strategies

Districts/schools that are the most effective in implementing inclusive practices are those that......(continued) Maintain a focus on student engagement Foster collaboration and joint decision making Require all staff (including clerical, custodial, cafeteria, security) to focus on a common mission

Three aspects.... Planning Implementation Results

Planning Establish an Inclusive Practices Leadership Team Outline an action plan for implementation Use a ‘Student Needs First’ Model to identify and provide support Schedule SWD based on support needs and assign staff based on student support needs

Planning (continued) Consider logistical issues: IEPs, lesson plans, planning time, grading, communication, substitute teachers, behavior plans Inform parents of models and approaches of inclusive practices Provide professional learning opportunities Develop implementation and effectiveness monitoring instruments

Implementation Determine lesson delivery parameters Pre-establish student grouping procedures Teach, re-teach basic class routines Collect student outcome performance data

Results Identify measures of effectiveness Use effectiveness data to make future decisions Make revisions to plan as needed

What to do next? Between now and end of the school year.... Inventory current practices and staff willingness to co-teach, consult or support in other ways Identify student support needs and the type of support needed (i.e., co-teacher, consultant, paraeducator, pull out instruction, general education teacher using differentiated instructional strategies) Establish Inclusive Practices Leadership Team (or designate this as a function of an existing team) Develop an action plan for next school year

At the very least.... As an individual teacher.... Maintain current and thorough assessment data on each student on caseload Identify class expectations for each general education class Design instruction to target gaps/discrepancies ‘Buddy up’ to teachers willing to work in collaboration Chart progress and share with others

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The contents of this PowerPoint presentation were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education, #H323A However those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.